Santa Monica Music Camp

Santa Monica Music Camp offers daily playing music, instrument-specific warm-up and technical method practices, performance-specific rehearsal, ensemble and group song rehearsals, chamber groups, composition, and music theory class. Campers also take part in musical and social games, fun games that improve aural and rhythmic skills, outdoor play, movie time, and, when requested, electives such as sports and arts/crafts. Private music lessons are available during camp sessions.

• Ages: 5–14 years old
• Schedule: Week-long sessions, Monday–Friday, generally 9am–3pm, with most camps running in 5-day blocks during spring and summer and a small concert on Friday afternoon for most weeks
• Price: $400 per 5-day week-long session, $100 per single day; before/after care $10 per hour per camper; guitars, violins, and violas available for $25 per week rental

Music Camps are held on weekdays from 9am–3pm with optional 8am and 5pm drop-off/pick-up, and before/after care is offered from 8–9am and from 3–6pm, with extra care described as supervised time with some books, art supplies, and music games available. Spring Music Camps run in two separate one-week sessions from March 30–April 3 and April 6–10, and Summer Music Camps run in ten separate one-week sessions from June 8–August 14, with most music camps scheduled Monday through Friday and a small concert on Friday afternoon, except on July 4 in summer, Thanksgiving Thursday in fall, and December 25 in December. A week-long session is 5 days, Spring Music Camps total 2 weeks, and Summer Music Camps total 10 weeks.

Santa Monica Music Camp offers a sequential curriculum in which each additional week of participation moves students to the next musical level, with campers grouped by similar ages and levels after instructor evaluation through daily activities. Campers play music about 3 hours per day plus attend a music theory class in a 6-hour camp-style day, totaling about 12 hours of weekly playing and practice time, and there is a showcase concert every Friday demonstrating what campers have learned. Many campers are described as achieving in one 10-week summer what would traditionally take 1–2 years in a once- or twice-weekly school class, and campers are described as leaving with a feeling of accomplishment, a stronger love and understanding of music, and new friends.

Beginning camp is recommended for elementary school children ages 5–10, including complete beginners, and no previous experience in music is required to join the Beginning Music Camp. Advanced camp is recommended for advanced middle schoolers and up who are comfortable on their instrument and know all major and minor scales. The Santa Monica Conservatory of Music provides fifes and keyboards during camp hours, and guitars, violins, and violas can be rented for $25 per week, with additional local rental options suggested for strings and brass.

Since 2001, Santa Monica Music Camp has offered a summer music day camp to children in West Los Angeles, Pacific Palisades, Brentwood, Mar Vista, and Venice, and is presented by the Santa Monica Bay Music Foundation and coordinated by the faculty and staff of the Santa Monica Conservatory of Music. The camp location hosts children year-round for camps and private music lessons, is described as child proof, fun, and modern, and always has an employee working the front desk by the main entrance, watching who comes in and goes out.

Camp counselors are professional working musicians and music teachers with college degrees in music and years of experience, and are described as highly skilled musicians and educators with a genuine love of teaching. All staff and faculty members are background-checked and TB-tested, are required to hold current CPR and First Aid certification, and are described as vigilant and prepared for medical, musical, or personal needs that may arise. Early-bird discounts, sibling rebates, and multiple-week rebates are offered and processed after time at camp has concluded.

Last updated March 14, 2026.